Night Work Wouldn’T Work Latah Bridge Repair Safer During The Day

The contractor hired to fix the Interstate 90 bridge over Latah Creek says working at night wouldn’t get the job done any sooner.

Epoxy concrete used to cement new expansion joints must be poured at a minimum temperature of 44 degrees - well above recent overnight lows in Spokane.

And working at night is more dangerous.

“Be patient with road construction,” said Teresa Onslow, president of PCT Construction Inc. of Seattle.

Her crews are putting in 10- to 16-hour shifts as it is, she said Thursday.

“Our people are working hard and working significant numbers of hours a day,” Onslow said. “It’s an aggressive schedule and a lot of work.”

Traffic on I-90 has been reduced to one lane in each direction during construction, causing delays on the freeway and slowing traffic on nearby arterials.

It has also prompted complaints from motorists.

Work on the eastbound lanes is expected to be completed early next week. The westbound lanes will be finished by next Friday, in time for the holiday weekend, Onslow said.

The state Department of Transportation issued a $300,000 base contract to remove and replace joints that allow the slabs of reinforced concrete pavement to expand and contract with changes in the weather.

The original steel joints on the 37-year-old bridge had worked loose.

Work began May 3.

Concrete at the joints is being excavated. Steel dowels used to hold the joints in place are being removed, too. Epoxy concrete is being poured to cement new dowels and joints to the rest of the bridge deck.

DOT spokesman Al Gilson said that kind of work is best done during daylight hours when workers can see what they are doing.

Working at night creates its own set of problems, he said. Traffic control is more difficult, and the safety of workers is threatened by an increased risk of an accident.

In addition, it’s more expensive, since the contractor must provide artificial lighting.

Bridge jobs are considered hazardous because they are done in relatively confined spaces high above the ground, Gilson said.

In the past, DOT has required contractors to work at night when appropriate, Gilson said.

Two years ago, paving on Francis Avenue was done at night. Paving on Division Street several years ago also was done at night.

For the Latah bridge work, the state chose to set a time limit of 25 days, Gilson said.

PCT agreed to do the job within that time frame.

“We’ve got to let private enterprise do the job the way they know how,” Gilson said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: OTHER ROAD WORK Delays on Division Division Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic northbound at Pacific Avenue today while crews repair a damaged sewer line. Drivers should look for alternative routes because the one-day project likely will cause serious traffic delays, according to the state Department of Transportation.